Wednesday, December 7, 2011

“Mendiola is not only a street. That is why Chino Roces’s monument
was built here because it is a symbol of the people’s struggle.” –
Vencer Crisostomo, Anakbayan
By ANNE MARXZE D. UMILBulatlat.com
MANILA – Youth, students, government employees and other sectors were
violently prevented from setting foot on Chino Roces Bridge (former
Mendiola Bridge) in what was planned to be Day One of Occupy Mendiola on
Dec. 6, Tuesday. Different groups that support the camp-out condemned
the violent dispersal.

(Photo Anne Marxze D. Umil / Bulatlat.com)

After marching from España, the groups were blocked by the Manila
Police at Claro M. Recto avenue. When the protesters attempted to go
through the police barricade, the police used water cannons and
truncheons to push them back.

“Why are you blocking us? We will just have our campout in Mendiola,”
Vencer Crisostomo, national chairman of Anakbayan told the police.

The Mendiola campout was supposedly inspired by the Arab Spring
upheavals, strikes in Europe and the Occupy Movements in the US. The
protesters lead by youth groups were supposed to stay at historic
Mendiola Bridge up to International Human Rights Day on Dec. 10.

“It is time to send a message to those in power: We will no longer
put up with lies, corruption, abuse, exploitation and injustice.
Something has to be done. Let us stand up and make the statement that we
want genuine change.” read the statement posted at the Camp Out website.

(Photo Anne Marxze D. Umil / Bulatlat.com)

Students from Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP),
University of the Philippines in Diliman and Manila, Eulogio Amang
Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology (EARIST) and Philippine
Normal University (PNU) marched from their respective universities and
converged for the campout protest.

“Police should be arresting thieves. And the thief is in St. Lukes
Hospital. You should be there arresting Arroyo and put her to jail and
not here suppressing us,” Rommel Aguilar, PUP student regent, said.

The groups still held their program at Recto avenue. They were given
up to 5:30 p.m. by the police. But the groups did not abide. “They
(police) are giving us until 5:30. Do we agree to that?” Crisostomo
asked the protesters, who replied with a resounding no. The police tried
to intimidate the protesters by preparing the water cannon and firing
up the engine of the fire truck but it did not stop the protesters from
continuing with their program.

“Mendiola is not only a street. That is why Chino Roces’s monument
was built here because it is a symbol of the people’s struggle,”
Crisostomo said addressing the police.

He added, “Today we are not only fighting for a higher budget on
education, social services, health, for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs)
and housing. We are here today to initiate change! Down with the rotten
system!” Crisostomo shouted..... MORE

“The Aquino government must immediately respond to their just demands
if he truly adheres to justice.” – Fe Salino, Selda-Southern Mindanao
By ANNE MARXZE D. UMILBulatlat.com

MANILA – Ligaya Cruz, along with her husband Consensio and two of
their children, went to Camp Crame, Dec. 3, to protest the continuing
incarceration of her son, Eddie.

On the International Day of Solidaity for Political Prisoners, former
political prisoners, relatives and supporters staged a protest in front
of Camp Crame in Quezon City to demand the release of political
prisoners while condemning the special treatment given to Gloria
Macapagal Arroyo (Photo by Anne Marxze D. Umil / Bulatlat.com)

Eddie,
a Dumagat leader was arrested on June 12, 2010 and is still detained at
Camp Bagong Diwa in Quezon City for a crime Ligaya said her son did not
commit.

Ligaya’s family came all the way from Wawa, Rizal to join the
families and supporters of other political prisoners in a protest action
in front of the national headquarters of the Philippine National Police
(PNP). Later that day, they visited Eddie. It has been two months since
they last saw him. “We don’t have money to travel more frequently to
visit him,” Ligaya told Bulatlat.com.
A week before the International Human Rights Day, Eddie and the other
political prisoners in Camp Bagong Diwa started an indefinite hunger
strike on Dec. 3. Other political prisoners from various detention cells
in the country launched hunger strikes, noise barrages and other forms
of protest.
Former political prisoners, relatives and supporters also staged a
protest action in front of Camp Crame, coinciding with the International
Day of Solidarity for Political Prisoners.

(Photo Anne Marxze D. Umil / Bulatlat.com)

According to the Samahan ng Ex-Detainees Laban sa Detensyon at Aresto
(Selda), there are 360 political prisoners in the Philippines. Belying
claims by Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda, the group said there
are 78 political prisoners arrested under the Aquino administration.
Karapatan said most of the political prisoners have been slapped with
common crimes, a violation of the Hernandez political doctrine.

Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño said in a statement, “It is ironic that
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the one responsible for so many human rights
violations, is being given special treatment and even pampered by the
Aquino administration while her victims have to go on a hunger strike
just to air their demands that should and can readily be granted by the
authorities.”.... MORE

“What will ‘development’ be when people are blinded by the glare of
the arrogant lights of profit and the mantra of globalization and
millions are pushed into further misery?” By JANESS ANN J. ELLAO Bulatlat.com
MANILA — As the church calendar enters the season of Advent, church
workers vow to push for better and just living conditions for poor
dwellers not only in Metro Manila but the entire country. They likened
poor dwellers to Mary and Joseph, who, when Mary was pregnant with
Jesus, knocked from one door to another only to be offered a stable to
give birth.

“In the spirit of Advent and Christmas season, God has inserted
himself to experience the life and struggle of the urban poor people.
And we could not do anything better than what he did,” Fr. Joe Dizon of
the National Clergy Discernment Group said during the two-day Church
people – Urban poor Solidarity Conference held at Adamson University.

The two-day conference paved the way for Church people and urban poor
groups and its local leaders to discuss important topics that affect
the lives of poor dwellers such as joblessness and wages, inaccessible
social services, violent demolitions, relocations of urban poor dwellers
to far-flung areas and militarization of communities resisting
demolition.

Bishop Pabillo says helping the poor is deeply rooted in the scriptures and Church doctrines(Photo by Janess Ann J. Ellao / bulatlat.com)

In his welcome remarks, Fr. Gregorio Banaga Jr. CM, president of
Adamson University, said the plight of the urban poor is hardly felt by
others even if they are very much part of the daily urban life. He added
that due to busy schedules, there is almost no opportunity to get to
know the urban poor unless there is demolition or fire.

“Special preference is given to to the poor because they are the most
who are in need,” Most Rev. Broderick Pabillo DD, Auxiliary Bishop of
Manila, said, “It is the way of Jesus Christ. He, too, was poor and he
chose to serve the poor and his followers were also from the ranks of
the poor.”
Yet, Pabillo said, the attitude of most people toward the poor is
either disdain, indifference, patronizing or using the poor for their
own benefit. He added that what the church people must have is “genuine
love and concern for the poor.”

No homes, no livelihood

In a dialogue, urban poor groups were given an opportunity to share
what they have been going through under the government’s slogan of
“development.”

“Many workers hardly earn the minimum wage.” Allan Garcia, a member
of Anakpawis, said in the conference. He said that in the name of
development and resolving the heavy flow of traffic, the Metro Manila
Development Authority has put the blame on street vendors who are merely
trying to earn a living.
Authorities, Garcia said, would pour gasoline on the wares of the
vendors — who, when they get home, would be confronted with threats of
demolition..... MORE

What do you know about drones? You know drones — those robotic,
unmanned planes that fire missiles for the American military across
Afghanistan, Pakistan and anywhere else the United States needs to get
away with murder.

Well if you don’t know too much, don’t worry, that’ll change soon.
The Federal Aviation Administration is looking into rules that will
bring the controversial aircraft into the country, creating an United
States airspace buzzing with tiny, robot planes to look over every inch
of American soil — and maybe more.

An article published Tuesday in
the Los Angeles Times reveals that new drone planes could be coming
domestically quite soon, as both law enforcement and the agricultural
sector are seeing benefits in keeping an arsenal of unmanned planes
ready to patrol the skies. For farmers, drones could bring a new method
of pumping pesticides into fields of crops from above; for the cops, the
aircraft could conduct surveillance over suspected criminals (think
police chopper but remote controlled). The Times reports that utility
companies see a benefit in drones as well, giving them a new set of eyes
to monitor oil, gas and water pipelines..... MORE

The military-grade pepper-spray that’s been all the rage with law
enforcement agencies is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to an
advanced arsenal of weaponry made available to police departments across
the country.

It has become clear now that local PDs are stockpiling some seriously
dangerous doodads free of cost as part of a little-known program from
the Pentagon. You can thank Uncle Sam, the Department of Defense and
your own American tax dollars for the 1033 Program, an initiative that
is giving hundreds of millions of bucks’ worth of military hardware from
the DoD and putting it in the hands of your favorite neighborhood cop.

In
2011 alone, the Department of Defense forked over roughly $500 million
worth of military machinery to law enforcement agencies coast-to-coast
that would have been left otherwise unused. In many instances, however,
the goods are grabbed by sheriffs in smaller jurisdictions that don’t
have much need for the weaponry, other than to install fear within the
community. The Daily reports that, according to documents made available
by the Pentagon’s Defense Logistics Agency, among those items offered
up to officers at no cost at all last year were grenade launchers,
helicopters, military robots, M-16 assault rifles and armored vehicles..... MORE

The ongoing anti-greed Occupy protests have seen too many instances
of police using brutal tactics against demonstrators. Some says the US
is militarizing its police force and squashing the very freedoms it is
so keen to preach internationally.

In recent months, US police officers have made an enemy out of those
citizens using their freedom of speech to protest against corporate
greed and corrupt politics, reports RT’s Marina Portnaya.

Today’s
breed of law enforcers are dressed in riot gear and armed with heavy
weaponry, body armor, flash bangs, tear gas, and potentially lethal
projectiles. As tens of thousands of Americans assemble, cops have been
accused of creating confrontation, not defusing it. Some veterans of the
force can’t help but resent the situation..... MORE

12/07/2011
President Aquino is
considered ineffective in improving the economic conditions of Filipinos
despite his still high performance and trust ratings that nonetheless
are on the decline, based on the latest survey of Pulse Asia.

Pulse
Asia noted in its assessment of the results that “disenchantment with
the Aquino administration’s performance on selected national issues
(became) more pronounced between (the) August and November surveys.”

The
survey showed that approval on Aquino slid to 72 percent of respondents
in the November survey down five points from the 77 percent in the
August survey. Aquino’s trust rating also declined to 74 percent from
the previous survey’s 75 percent..... MORE

President
Aquino isn’t going to get away this time around over his bad conduct
and ill manners in excoriating Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona
and the SC itself as displayed by Aquino during the judicial summit
last Monday.

An avalanche of criticisms has cascaded against
Aquino, following his open hostility against the judiciary and the
Chief Justice.

Fr. Joaquin Bernas, former dean of Ateneo graduate
school of law, found President Aquino’s attacks “quite disturbing” and
“really alarming,” as he likened him to Cuban strongman Fidel Castro..... MORE

The
family of the Filipino drug trafficker, who faces execution in China,
left the country for China yesterday, said an official of the Department
of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

DFA spokesman Raul Hernandez said the
family already has their schedule in China and will be assisted by
officials in the Philippine consulate in Guanzhou. Today there is a
mass for our kababayan and to the family. They will leave for Guangzhi…
then the following day they will visit their relative in prison,” he
said.

He also said that the Philippine government is still in
touch with the Chinese government through its embassy in Manila and its
Foreign Ministry in Beijing. “As you know we have already sent our
letter to the President, hopefully we will receive their final reply to
our quest for commutation as soon as possible,” Hernandez said..... MORE

By Jason Faustino 12/07/2011
A toxics
watchdog has intensified its campaign to inform and warn consumers on
the chemical hazards in some toys being sold in the market amid the
pre-Christmas shopping spree.

In a bid to reach out to grassroots
consumers, the EcoWaste Coalition organized yesterday the first-ever
free-of-charge “Toy Check-Up Tent” outside the Redemptorist Church in
Baclaran, Parañaque City.

The event coincided with the Feast of Saint Nicholas, also known as Santa Claus or “Father Christmas,” the generous gift-giver..... MORE

12/07/2011
Navotas residents have urged
the administration of Mayor John Reynald Tiangco to host more projects
in the entire barangays which involve the revival of various Filipino
street games that have been outshone by those found in the computers.

The
residents’ clamor came following the three-day Filipino Sports Festival
dubbed “Palaro ni Juan” that took place last week and held at the
ground level of the city hall.

“The city government has been
holding an annual sports event among its employees to promote
camaraderie, teamwork and sportsmanship,” Tiangco said.

This year, to make a little twist and stir more excitement, the city chief executive chose to feature Filipino street games..... MORE